Question 186 of 433
What about injections for joints: steroids, gel, PRP, and stem cells?
The short answer
Steroid injections give short relief. The others are less effective than their marketing suggests.
Steroid injections ease a flare for a few weeks. Repeated often, they may speed cartilage loss.
Hyaluronic acid “gel” injections perform little better than placebo in the best trials.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has mixed results. A well-run trial published in 2021 found it no better than salt water for knee arthritis.
Stem cell injections for joints are unproven and expensive.
Glucosamine and chondroitin do not work better than placebo in rigorous trials.
When a joint is truly worn out and pain limits your life, knee and hip replacements are among the most successful operations in medicine. Go into surgery as strong as you can, and recovery will be faster.
“This book is for education. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not make you my patient or create a doctor-patient relationship.” From the book’s medical disclaimer. Full disclaimer
MIXED HUMAN TRIALS — Joint injections: short-term steroid relief; inconsistent PRP or gel results; stem-cell benefit unproven.Evidence grade (draft mapping)BLimited or small human studiesPart 13, Q186 · Part sources
From Longevity Unmasked by Afshine Ash Emrani, MD, FACC. Medical disclaimer. This book is for education. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not make you my patient or create a doctor-patient relationship. Nothing here is meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Medicine is personal: a test, drug, supplement, or exercise plan that helps one person can harm another. Do not start, stop, or change any medication or treatment because of something you read in these pages. Talk with a licensed clinician who knows your history first. If you think you are having a medical emergency, call 911. The author disclaims responsibility for any loss or harm arising from use of the information in this book.